Stillwater mayor wants music festival postponed
STILL WATER— Promoter sofa three-day music festival set for next weekend outside Stillwater are going through with the event despite calls from the nearby mayor to postpone the large outdoor gathering because of concerns about spreading the coronavirus.
The inaugural Weed stock, scheduled for Aug. 20-22 at The Tumbleweed Dancehall & Concert Venue in Payne County, will feature Oklahoma red dirt and Texas country stars such as Randy Rogers Band, Parker McCollum, Read Southall Band, Kaitlin Butts, Flatland Cavalry, Shane Smith & The Saints, William Clark Green and more.
Still water Mayor Will Joyce has urged promoters to postpone the festival, posting on Twitter, “It is not the right time for thousands of people to gather for a 3-day music festival.”
Reached by phone Friday, Joyce told The Oklahoman he understood the economic pain felt by musicians, promoter sand venues like The Tumble weed as the pandemic has worn on for months and live events have been canceled.
“Venues like the Tumbleweed have unfortunately been bearing a lot of the burden,” Joyce said. “It's unfortunate. It's certainly not something we ever want to see happen, but given the nature of the disease we're dealing with, those types of events can be problematic given the spread of the disease. Ideally, from my standpoint and the standpoint of the community' s health and well- being, it seems like postponing a large event like this would be better.”
Reached at a phone number listed on the festival' s promotional website, a man claiming to run The Tumbleweed did not want to be identified for this story.
On Facebook, promoters ask t hose who have been sick or tested for COVID-19 in the last month to stay home. The page says social distancing guidelines will be in effect, masks are required, and hand- sanitizing stations will be available at the festival.
Payne County District 2 Commissioner Chris Reding said he spoke with the festival organizer.
“The steps t hat he's taken working with the health department are pretty impressive ,” Reding said. “If he can get everyone to do what he's set up to do, it would be a pretty safe event.”
The festival has received both support and criticism.
A woman identified as Stacie Fletcher tweeted at Joyce and Tumbleweed: “No!!!! Do not cancel!! This is huge for the up and coming musicians in the state who have already been without work for several months!!”
Others criticized the promoters.
In a letter to the editor of the Stillwater News Press, MikkiC ouch wrote:
“What kind of business person thinks it's a good idea to invite hundreds of people for such an event during a pandemic?”